Dining out while eating healthy

The hardest thing I face with my diet is eating out or buying take away food.

me too, the hardest for me is lunches because there's so many restaurants where i work and i'm sooo not a morning person, but i have been making myself get up early enough to pack a healthy lunch to take with me, still not easy!!! 

To be successful and make it easy I had to plan everything. I wanted to share with you some of the thinking process I went through. I hope that this can start a nice discussion about the things that we do to eat healthy and still stay on the wagon while we enjoy eating out.

1.  fully understand my diet

2. determine ahead of time where and when I will have a feast day or what compromises I will make.

3. plan ahead - figure out what to do in different kinds of eating situations - fast food to grab a quick meal, dining out in a nice restaurant with friends etc.

4. don't feel bad that most of that tempting food is off limits - I'm allergic to peanuts so even though I used to love Thai peanut satay sauce, I can never eat it again - well it's the same thing with junk food which was making me sick.

5. put things into practice, even if it feels weird - the more you do it the more comfortable you will be in the future and it will be come second nature.

6. the food is about nutrition, and not a source of entertainment, and if you're out with friends, make it all about being with them.

So what do you do?

If I know the place I am going to, I plan ahead.  I check websites for healthy selections at that restaurant.  I bring my lunch almost every day at work.  That is the easiest to do because I have been doing this for years for health and savings.  Lastly, if I am caught out and hungry I plan where to go and what to buy that is a healthy option.  I am terrible with fast foods anyway so most times I stay away from them.  Fast foods can be a trigger food for me.  I will read others replies when I get home.

Molly

OOOOHHH yes, that's a really good one - pack your own lunch so you can avoid being tempted.

We went to Red Lobster recently...haven't been there in ages.
I spent about 45 mins on their website looking up the calorie count for just about every item on the menu.  I then wrote them down in my WW "dinning out" book....so I had the points value and the complete nutritional information.  I pretty much decided what I would order before we left but I took the book with me and checked items as I was deciding what to order.  I stayed very healthy, broiled fish and shrimp with NO butter/oil/sauce, plain broccoli, a salad and skipped the baked potato.

We go to a Chinese buffet every other week, sometimes every week....I always get the same things...  a piece of the baked salmon, go to the hibachi bar and get lots of veg and ask them to just steam them...they do it really well, I pick out a couple small pieces of chicken from the chick & brocc dish, 1/2 cup of hot/sour soup, 1 dumpling, 1 stuffed mushroom and then we fill and share a plate full of the fresh/raw veg on the salad bar.  At the end I have an almond cookie, fruit, and sometimes have 2 spoonfuls of ice cream (eating spoon - I'm not taking about 2 scoops of ice cream...good heavens that would be way to much for me).

I avoid all sauces, gravies, creams, and fried foods....

It isn't always easy, takes some research but it can be done.

Hi Ruth - yes, isn't it handy that places like Red Lobster have nut. info on their website?

Didn't you find it makes you more relaxed when you get to RedLobster because you've already made the decisions ahead of time? And didn't you feel good that you ate healthy?

I definitely felt more in control and yes I was thrilled I ate healthy!

Not sure if you're aware of Hungry Girl, but they send out a daily email with lots of good info, recipe swaps and they always include WW points.  You can go to their website at www.hungry-girl.com/ and subscribe to the daily email.  I found this particular one interesting about Olive Garden.   MON TUES WED THURS FRI           04.08.10
Calling all Olive Gardeners! (By that we mean "people who frequent the Olive Garden," not "people who harvest olives.") We've got a round-up of what to eat at OG... and what to avoid like the Parmesan-topped plague!                     Appetizers Pasta e Fagioli PER SERVING (1 serving): 130 calories, 2.5g fat, 680mg sodium, 17g carbs, 6g fiber -- POINTS® value 2* Here we have a totally authentic, spoonable Italian starter. With beans, ground beef, pasta, and tomatoes in a flavorful broth, it's a super-satisfying option with very impressive stats. Starter Shocker!!! Grilled Chicken Flatbread PER SERVING (1 order): 760 calories, 44g fat, 1,500mg sodium, 47g carbs, 5g fiber -- POINTS® value 18* "Grilled chicken" makes everything sound guilt-free, and surely "flatbread" seems innocent enough. But this is basically a four-cornered chicken Alfredo pizza. You do not need to START a meal with this creamy and carby catastrophe. PLEASE. Now back to the sane appetizer selections... Mussels di Napoli PER SERVING (1 order): 180 calories, 8g fat, 1,770mg sodium, 13g carbs, 0g fiber -- POINTS® value 4* Despite the words "butter" and "wine" in the description, this is a total no-guilt find. That's because the mussels are simmered -- not saturated -- in the stuff. Paired up with a bowl of soup, this would make a nice light meal! Minestrone Soup PER SERVING (1 serving): 100 calories, 1g fat, 1,020mg sodium, 18g carbs, 3g fiber -- POINTS® value 1* One of the most guilt-free items on the menu. Plus, you definitely get that "I'm having an Italian dinner" feeling when you start your meal with a bowl of it.                         EMERGENCY INTERRUPTION: SCARY SALAD SIGHTING! We don't know what they're putting in that seemingly light salad dressing that comes on the Garden-Fresh Salad, but we disapprove. One serving of the bottomless staple salad with dressing has 350 calories and 26g fat (POINTS® value 9*)! Don't worry -- we've got your back. Request a portion sans salad dressing, and you'll shave off 230 calories and 22.5g fat. Ditch the croutons, and you'll be down to a slim 70 calories and 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*). Then ask for one of these dressings on the side: Low Fat Italian or Low Fat Parmesan-Peppercorn. That's more like it...                     Deceptive Entrées Alert These meals aren't the heaviest on the menu, but they DEFINITELY sound lighter than they are. Do not be fooled... Garlic-Herb Chicken con Broccoli PER SERVING (1 dinner entrée): 960 calories, 41g fat, 2,180mg sodium, 90g carbs, 12g fiber -- POINTS® value 22* Oh, come on! It's not "con formaggio" (with cheese), it's "con BROCCOLI." One would assume a dish with this name is low in calories... but one would be wrong. Creamy sauce and pasta sink it. BOO. Grilled Shrimp Caprese PER SERVING (1 dinner entrée): 900 calories, 40g fat, 3,490mg sodium, 82g carbs, 0g fiber -- POINTS® value 21* Not only does this name call out the grilled nature of the shrimp -- usually a GOOD thing -- but it also name-drops a salad we love: the Caprese. However, these shrimp are buried under pasta, cheese, and a garlic-butter sauce. No amount of tomatoes and fresh herbs can save this dish. And that sodium, ACK!                         EMERGENCY INTERRUPTION: BREAKING BREADSTICK NEWS! You know those baskets of breadsticks that just keep showing up at your table? Well, one breadstick has 150 calories and 2g fat (POINTS® value 3*)... and that's just the buttery stick itself. (Who doesn't dunk?!) The Alfredo dipping sauce has 380 calories and 35g fat per dish, and a dish of the marinara has 70 calories and 2.5g fat. We recommend avoiding this stuff, unless you have an implausible amount of self-control. Otherwise, you're likely to inhale 500 calories before your beverage hits the table. If your friends are cool with it, ask the waiter not to bring the bread.                     Mmmmm-azing Meals! Parmesan Crusted Tilapia PER SERVING (1 dinner entrée): 590 calories, 25g fat, 910mg sodium, 42g carbs, 6g fiber -- POINTS® value 13* It may be higher in fat than we'd like, but it's still lighter than most of the other menu items. Plus, it has protein, pasta, AND veggies. Maybe go for double vegetables and no pasta? Just a thought... Linguine alla Marinara PER SERVING (1 dinner entrée): 430 calories, 6g fat, 900mg sodium, 76g carbs, 9g fiber -- POINTS® value 8* If a trip to an Italian eatery isn't complete without pasta, this is the safest option. Slurp your noodles and bask in the tomatoey goodness without guilt. Mmmmm! Also worth noting? Every other straight-up pasta plate on the dinner menu has 17 - 75g fat. Ewww! Venetian Apricot Chicken PER SERVING (1 dinner entrée): 380 calories, 4g fat, 1,420mg sodium, 32g carbs, 8g fiber -- POINTS® value 7* We've sung this entrée's praises before, but you can always use a reminder. This meal RULES; it's sweet 'n saucy chicken served with a bunch of veggies. HOORAY! Herb-Grilled Salmon PER SERVING (1 dinner entrée): 510 calories, 26g fat, 760mg sodium, 5g carbs, 2g fiber -- POINTS® value 12* It may not seem super "Italian," but salmon is a) good for you, and b) not something that comes with carby pasta, at least in this case. Those are two BIG reasons we like this dish. P.S. The high-ish fat count is mostly due to the fi****self, and it's the GOOD kind of fat. (Three cheers for omega 3s!)                         Lunchtime Find! Grilled Chicken Spiedini PER SERVING (1 lunch entrée): 460 calories, 13g fat, 1,180mg sodium, 26g carbs, 7g fiber -- POINTS® value 9* We have no idea why this one's limited to the lunch menu -- we're big fans nonetheless. In fact, we're drooling just ogling its photo. Herb-marinated chicken is served skewer style and accompanied by potatoes and grilled veggies. Yum time!                     Dessert After-Dinner Shock! Torta di Chocolate No Sugar Added PER SERVING (1 dessert): 800 calories, 51g fat, 125mg sodium, 75g carbs, 4g fiber -- POINTS® value 19* Do not -- we repeat, DO NOT -- be blindsided by the "No Sugar Added" classification. Like all of the Garden's desserts, this thing is a fat-packed calorie bomb ready to explode. If you really wanna split something decadent with your fellow table-dwellers, the Tiramisu is the lowest-calorie choice, with 510 cals and 32g fat (POINTS® value 12*). Or do what we do: Have coffee and then eat a chocolate VitaTop when you get home! After-Dinner Delight! Specialty Hot Coffees PER SERVING (1 beverage): 0 - 220 calories, 0 - 8g fat, 10 - 85mg sodium, 0 - 43g carbs, fiber n.a. -- POINTS® value 0 - 5* Don't roll your eyes at us! This isn't boring java. OG's got some seriously schmancy sipping options. No-cal choices include Lavazza Espresso and Caffè la Toscana Coffee. Have a Caffè Latte, Caffè Mocha, or Cappuccino for 130 - 180 calories, or go ahead and splurge on the Caramel Hazelnut Macchiato for 220 cals and 4.5g fat. That's indulgence done right. P.S. Even though it's not on the menu, see if they'll serve you a beauteous bowl of berries. (We've seen you use them as garnishes, Olive Garden! We KNOW they're back there!) HG FYI! Why no sugar and protein counts, you ask? Olive Garden doesn't provide them. That's why!

Didn't know if my last post about Hungry Girl came through or not, but guess it did.  I like to check out restaurant menus on the internet before going so I know what my choices will be.  You really need to be careful though and specify no butter, etc cause those calories can add up even when you think you're having a salad or veggies or broiled fish.  I usually have my salads with oil and vinegar that they bring to the table, then I can control what goes on it.

If you need fast food, Subway is really a good choice too.  They have a couple of low calorie salads and all their nutritional info is on the internet.  We eat out quite often and like Applebee's WW menu or their new "under 550 calorie" entrees.

My biggest problem with eating out is that I'm so fluid retentive and restaurant fare is always so much saltier than you fix at home.

That Hungry Girl website was www.hungry-girl.com/ in case you didn't get it from above.  Their daily email gives healthy recipe alternatives for a lot of the calorie laden ones you fine in restaurants.  Her cookbooks are good too.